Shop Vac Opinions

[docrowan]

I'm looking to upgrade at some point to a new shop vac, partly to handle dust collection in my small shop. I don't have the room for a dedicated DC system and I'd like the flexibility of using it for wet/dry vacuum and blower duty as well. (Everything in my small shop and smaller budget has to pull double duty if it can.)

I saw someone was using the Ridgid WD1450 for dust collection. Any other opinions on this vac? Is there another one that you would recommend for dual purpose DC/shop vac?

[Cheeky]

I'm interested in that vac too. In addition if anyone has a Ridgid Stor N Go Vac, what's your opinion of it?

[cgallery]

I've been using the 1450 for dust collection for a few months now. It replaced my previous Shop-Vac (actual Shop-Vac brand). I was happy w/ the Shop-Vac but wanted a little more "umph" and a little less noise.

I'm happy on both counts.

[mpc]

I had a Craftsman shopvac and it was okay... then I got the Ridgid 12 gallon/5 HP vac listed in the Bargain Alerts forums - what a difference! The old vac (needed new clips to hold the motor/lid to the base) is now a roll-around trash can. I don't know how the WD1450 compares to the WD1245 that I bought... so keep that in mind as you read on...

I've never been to a shop with a real dust collection setup but the WD1245 Ridgid vac gets a lot of tablesaw & sander dust. It's useless on dado router work - that just spews out the dado; other router stuff (table mounted) though is okay. And I doubt it'd work all that well with a hood behind a chop saw... something only high CFM dust collectors probably can manage. Oh, it does keep up just fine with a Dewalt 735 planer - even though Dewalt suggests NOT hooking this planer to a shop vac... supposedly it's internal blower will out-flow a shop vac. It did overwhelm the Craftman (the motor/lid "levitated" like a UFO even while it was running!) but the Ridgid more than keeps up.

I did add the blue-tinted filter too - to get more of the fine dust. I can work about half a day before emptying/cleaning of the filter is needed. I've heard about socks or sleeves that help this... but I don't know exactly what they are or where to get them so I've never tried 'em.

the one I have:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...ctId=100000556

When it was on sale, Home Depot had the WD1245 and WD1245GV boxes side by side for the same price... the GV version has extra hoses & attachements (the "car kit") and a spare filter. I just wish it were quieter... it's louder than many of the tools. I need hearing protection more for the vac than for the tools generally.

mpc

[niki]

The "Powerful 5 Peak Horsepower motor" means 3,730W (5 x 746), considering that you use 120V, it means 31 Amperes (3,730 : 120) soooo, where is the catch....well, we want to sell, don't we...

It reminds me that the "Imperial Gallon" was "modified" to "US Gallon" during the "Dry season" (I think) by around 20%.

Also, as it looks to me, the 12 Gallon includes the motor and filter volume...

I bought one of those "R2D2" and modified it so, I have to clean the main filter very seldom.
http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=24930

niki

[drumpriest]

Peak horse power ratings are often listed, and can be achieved without blowing smaller breakers. What you really want is the average running HP, often listed as the RMS rating. Typically it's somewhere around 1/3-1/2 of the peak hp rating. Power output is often done this way in several industries, speaker cabinets being famous for it.

[niki]

Keith
Thank you for the clarification...for a moment I thought that the Shop-vac is more powerful than my table saw (2500W)

Well, yep, we WANT to sell...

Regards
niki

[docrowan]

Thanks to everyone for the opinions.

MPC, thanks for sharing about your WD1245. Specs on the WD1245 is 175 CFM and the WD1450 is 179CFM. Vaccuum pressure is a good bit higher, but that's not really what I'm looking for. I don't think $30 extra dollars is worth it for only 4 more CFM. Also, I won't need the extra 5 foot of cord length in a 12'x20' shop, I think it will get in my way. I'll be checking out the WD1245 next time I'm in HD. That is, unless Niki starts selling R2D2's here in the US.

[Mr__Bill]

Specs on the WD1245 is 175 CFM and the WD1450 is 179CFM. Vaccuum pressure is a good bit higher, but that's not really what I'm looking for. I don't think $30 extra dollars is worth it for only 4 more CFM. Also, I won't need the extra 5 foot of cord length in a 12'x20' shop, I think it will get in my way.

Vacuum pressure also means that as the filter gets clogged the CFM will not drop as fast. I think it would also help if you should at a later date add a cyclone chip collector in line with the vac.

My shop space in a 2 car garage is about the same as yours and my vac is always on an extension cord I have never had a tool with a too long cord, oh wait, I did - I just cut the power cord on my bt3000 to about 2 foot so it would plug into a power center I mounted on the saw.

I have a bag over my filter that is used for drywall dust pick up, looks like ripstop nylon and is easy to brush the fine dust off.

For me I see a real deciding factor in size and noise, will it fit where you have to store it and will the noise drive you out of the shop? And of course, the price difference is a router bit or a large pizza with beer. Just remember Tim the tool man Taylor, "you can never have too much power"